SEC executives fire back at Jay Williams over referee criticism, provides data

Earlier Friday night, Jay Williams on ESPN ripped the SEC Tournament officials for not calling enough fouls. More specifically, he was disappointed with the physicality of the games. And he thought the way the games were being officiated would hold teams back in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

It didn’t take long for an SEC executive to do some research and fire back at Williams on Twitter. Here’s what Garth Glissman had to say to the former Duke star.

Relevant context: More fouls were called in SEC conference games (36.9 per game) and FTs attempted (43.7) than any other power conference this season.

In first 10 games at the SEC Tourney, the numbers increased to 39.4 fouls and 48.1 FTs per game. https://t.co/7L9WwZ9reD

— Garth Glissman (@GarthGlissman) March 15, 2025

The SEC executive gave some context. “More fouls were called in SEC Conference games (36.9 per game) and FTs attempted (43.7) than any other power conference this season. In first 10 games at the SEC Tourney, the numbers increased to 39.4 fouls and 48.1 FTs per game,” Glissman wrote in his response to Williams on Friday evening.

Here is the quote of what the ESPN commentator said earlier on Friday. “I’m really starting to get worried guys about the physicality of this league. I love physical basketball, but the amount of grabbing, there’s no freedom of movement. I’m really worried about this hurting the conference in NCAA play that first weekend. Because they’re gonna call those fouls, Seth,” Williams vented on the ESPN set during halftime of the Texas-Tennessee game.

In the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals, Tennessee took care of business and handled the Texas Longhorns. The loss for the Longhorns leaves them squarely on the bubble, with their fate in the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee’s hands. Joe Lunardi of ESPN currently projects the SEC to have 14 teams in the NCAA Tournament and if that holds true, then the Longhorns will likely be in.

In another game in the SEC Quarterfinals, the Alabama Crimson Tide obliterated the Kentucky Wildcats, coasting to a 99-70 victory. The Tide jumped out to a seven-point lead at halftime and never looked back, really opening things up in the second half. They got a balanced scoring effort, getting double digits from five different players to help propel them to victory on Friday night.

In the SEC Tournament Semifinals on Saturday, Auburn will face off against Tennessee in Game 13. Then Alabama and Florida will face off in Game 14, in the other semifinal.